THE HEAD of a drugs gang known as The Firm moved from a terraced street to a country house and drove expensive cars, despite having no legal source of income, a court was told.

Matthew Glover had an affluent lifestyle and allegedly took profits from drug dealing, though he avoided "getting his hands dirty", Preston Crown Court heard.

The jury was told that Anthony Lockwood was his trusted associate and colleague, who was involved in the management of the gang.

Glover, 39, of Foxstones Lane, Cliviger, and Lockwood, 41, of Stock Lane, Middop, Gisburn, deny three charges of conspiracy to supply ecstasy, amphetamine sulphate and cannabis resin between September 1 1999 and February 6 2001.

At the start of the trial, Charles Chruszcz, QC prosecuting, alleged that a large scale criminal conspiracy operated in the North of England over that period.

A police operation codenamed Norfolk and conducted by the National Crime Squad began in September 1999 and this led to the arrest of the defendants.

He said the purpose was to investigate the distribution of large quantities of illegal drugs and the squad's efforts were directed towards a criminal gang believed to operate under the title of The Firm, of which Glover is alleged to have been the head.

Mr Chruszcz said: "The organisation was bent upon the supply of Class A and Class B drugs to make profit. Police made seizures during the investigation in attempts to close the racket down. The drugs seized had a street value between £1.5million and £2million pounds."

He said authorisations were provided for the police to deploy covert or hidden listening devices in Glover's home and also in relation to cars.

He said a picture was built up of the gang and the people thought to be criminally included or closely associated with it. Mr Chruszcz told the jury "The prosecution have no specific knowledge of any other source of income for Matthew Glover, apart from the drugs.

"In the past he lived in a terrace house on Chapel Street, Nelson, but during the course of the investigation and at the time of arrest lived with his wife and family at a house in the country in Foxstones Lane, Cliviger, near Burnley."

The prosecution claim he enjoyed a life of material affluence, drove expensive cars and had an expensive house.

It was also alleged: "He is a man, who for the purpose of these conspiracies, doesn't get his hands dirty, in the sense that he doesn't go into the drugs himself. He takes the profits from the drugs.

"He leaves it to his lieutenants or foot soldiers to do the work required to be done with the drugs, but keeps his distance from transactions in case they go wrong." The prosecution described Lockwood as a "trusted associate and colleague" who was involved in the management of the gang.

He is alleged to have arranged for couriers to move drugs about, sometimes arranging for the sale and supply of drugs to others.

He had no employment known to the prosecution.

"Like Glover he tried his best to keep his distance as much as possible from the action", Mr Chruszcz also alleged.

The defendants are said to have used mobile phones, pre-paid or having false subscriber details, which were then cast aside once it was thought they had become a source of danger.